Hi there!. Yellarigu Namaskara! Are you guys going to be so "Sober & serious?" Let' have some fun here. I'll start off with Naanu matthe Mr. Prabhudeva my previous speaker!
There's this film called Hrudaya Hrudaya. It's a Kannada film, where I play a cardiac surgeon. I cut open Shivrajkumar's heart, take it out!, and place it in Anu Prabhakar's heart.The whole operation is the climax of the film. I'm sweating, giving all the expressions.. and all that this doctor goes through, and all along there were a couple of other guys doing it. It was just my face, we took stock of his hand, doing the operation, and it was me, acting on the face.. all that effort etc! Thanks for that sir!
 
So, what I'm trying to tell you, is that: I dont know how to read temperature on a thermometer.. but I've done a Heart surgery!!. That's what an actor does!! I dont know so many things in my life, but I've done everything... Thanks to Cinema!. Thanks to the Acting!. And that's the greatest thing about being an actor!. You live everybody's life!, I can promise you that. Everybody in the society, You have one instalment of their life in your life, which is the greatest thing about being an actor. I'll tell you, all of you who want to get into acting, do it like that!. You'll be a businessman one day, You'll be a beggar the other day, You'll be a Heart surgeon on the third day! You'll be a teacher on the fourth day, you'll be a journalist
You can be Everything!!. That's the greatest thing about acting..And I promise you, with due apologies to all of you professionals here ... It is "THE BEST" profession in the world. There's a small print below it, which I will talk about later :) Every job has a small print, and that's the way it goes, but it is the best profession. You can take my word for it! there's a small print, but we'll talk about it later!
 
Why did I take to this profession?. I go to the best places in the world. The best places in the world. I've seen it with my own eyes. It's not like, when somebody else goes and comes back. I go there!, dance with a very pretty girl.. I stay there for 3 days. I've enjoyed it thoroughly. I meet the best people in the world. It's on the platter for you. If you're an actor, you'll meet the Kings, the princes, the chief ministers, the governors, you name it... you meet them!. When Sachin Tendulkar hits a world cup century and there's a dinner for it, you're there! tweeting... Wonderful things happen when you become an actor! You go to the best places, you meet the best people, you do the best things, and then there's this wonderful job of getting a role!
 
There's this great feeling of devoting, things you never did!. I've never seen a person who's been hit by tragedy in my life!. I'll tell you honestly! Somebody close to me has not died!, so far, thankfully!, but I've done it so many times in my films!!. I've married hundreds of girls in my films. You go through so many emotions as an actor!. Being in a place like that, here comes the small print, which comes in later...
 
Let's say you want to become an actor. How does one become an actor?. I'll tell you a story, of a boy, there's a story to that...this boy was probably of your age. He was on a stage like this...
and he performed a skit on the stage, there was a lady sitting there, who was the judge of the event, and she said this is very good, can you do it on the radio?, and he said ya I can do it! He went to the radio and did the same skit. She liked it. Her friend came there, to ask if he could do it on the TV. She said ya this guy's good, Can you do it on TV?, and he said ya I can do it on TV!. And that guy did it on Television...and that came on a diwali day!, on diwali day film people dont shoot!so film people are happily watching TV at home, and saying "who's this guy?" . He looks interesting, . and that guy got three flms on the same day , because of one TV programme.This guy was not aware of cinema. Some director calls him & says do you act? and he had said ya!. He got three films. One film, two films and three films later, the man has now done 145 films as a Hero!. All because of one skit he did on stage... and you want to know who that guy is?
 
It's me. Thank you!
 
What I'm trying to tell you here is: This is how you become an Actor!. There is no rule! God knows how somebody becomes an actor! There is no pattern. This is my journey. There's going to be another journey for Shivrajkumar, another journey for Ravichandran, one for Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, and one for Shahrukh Khan. There is no single route which says here's where you start, go straight, take a left turn and reach the dead end, and take a left there, and you become a Super Star!. NO!. It simply doesnt work this way!! Art itself doesnt work this way!. We have some fine co-stars, we have some huge stars!, but nobody knows where you'll land!
So with this let me tell you, if you want to be an actor - first of all! is that your basic aptitude is good - I hope you've not overestimated yourself!. If you have the right estimate, and if you think you can do it, Just jump onto the bandwagon. I'll tell you again, it's a great line. There are schools here, great schools here which teach you acting, and then about getting an offer is something which works for different people in different ways. The way I work, as a director, the way I cast is: I go to a drama, I see somebody who's good. I know this will hit with the audience! somebody I can connect!, I dont know who this guys is!. I cast people just like that! I see, I go to a radio station, I see the radio jockey talking. I like the way he utters his words, I like the way he gossips.. I just bring him, and I cast him!. That's the way I work!, as a director..
 
There are various ways, a director casts an actor. It's each one to his own!. There's no secret at it, No preparation goes on! There are wonderful things on the internet. The internet is such a great tool, for all of you who want to know about acting or direction.. about movie making, just go onto it.... So, what I say is "Acting is a great profession!", now here's the small print!
If this is the best job in the world, then the small print says: If you are successful! If you're not, then I am so sorry. I've seen such sad stories in my life! I've seen such sad stories. It's...it's horrifying!. I got my first film.. my real break came 10 years later.. On the 10th year, you hear about actors making lakhs of rupees, crores of rupees.. I got my first lakh after 10 years!!, and that year what happened was, nine films of mine, nine films!, one after the other, ran for 100 days! It was something I could not believe!. 10 years was no magic, there was no success, and suddenly one year, one film ran for 100 days, followed by another for 100 days, and nine films for 100 days, and it becomes something which we cannot stop, but having gone back... in the 9th year, this is what happened! So I don't know what made me stay!. I just felt I could make it here! it's just my heart telling me, that it's going to happen!. It takes some time. I was getting comfortable here. I was enjoying my job!, so it was my gut feeling!, and I finally gave in!
and after that, another 15 years I've been here!. So what I'm trying to tell you is: Only if you're successful, the acting job is good!, and how do you do this successfully, that's a big mystery!nobody can tell!, in cinema how you can do it successfully. I've seen some people who are much more talented much more intense than me, who have not made it! I've seen some much lesser guys, who've made it much bigger. So this is the equation. I want you to be prepared for it, if you're coming into art, mainly cinema. So about the small print, I have this wonderful little poem, which translates like this:
 
See there's a big door called "Success", Huge door!, Fat door!. So it's success, you open the door, you get inside, you're successful, and there's a basketful of keys, just in front of the door, you go for the key. One guy comes, takes the key, opens the door... It opens for him!, the first time he opens the door it's success for him!. He's a lucky guy, he get's inside! Success!. There's another guy who comes, and keeps on trying, one key, a second key, the third key, the 100th key! it opens for him!. For some people get success by being patient!. there's a lesson here!. perseverance in the job... There's a third guy who comes & says... Hey I don't need a key, I have muscles, he just breaks in! There are guys who use muscle power to get success! There's this fourth guy who comes & says, I don't even need the key!! I have a hairpin!. I will get this, and he opens the door!. Intelligence is the sure way to success!. Unfortunately, for cinema, the door does not open from outside.. however much you try! the door opens from inside. It is the audience who opens it for you .... they open the door and say come "I like you". So it is ultimately the audience who decides your fortune, your bank balance, your status, your stardom. "EVERYTHING"!. The door in cinema opens from inside!. I want you to be prepared for this, if you want to become an actor!.
 
OK so much for being an actor!, but I still insist. If you're a guy who has this capability, who is confident, who is willng to work really hard, really hard!, I'm telling you, cinema will look very glamorous, and very very very starry!, but it is sheer hard work. It's one hell of hard work!
It's not about cinema, it's not about acting or directing ... What I'm telling you is: In all humility... When I was studying, I was 7th rank in SSLC, in all humility, it's not about me, it's not at all about me. My percentage in 2nd PU was 98.6. In spite of it, I did not go an become an engineer!. In spite of my academic background, I did not do what my friends did. Somehow, something told me that this is what I've to do!. It was purely a thing of the heart but my only message here is that.. it has a very very clear indication, your heart tells you what to do!. You just have to listen, listen listen!. You get confused! All of us go through one period of confusion... When I joined UVCE, the first 3 months I hated that place. I said to myself "What the hell" Why do I need to this, I dont like this place, I dont want to be an engineer, but then by the 3rd month what happened was, they put me as head of a speech troupe, the speech troupe was first in the competition, and that gave me sudden confidence. Suddenly the college became a very nice place, to me!. So it may happen after 3 months. There is going to be a small part of adjustment, in whichever job you choose, and then the same place may become heaven!. Dont be crazy about it, but the heart definitely tells you what to do!, if you listen!. What I'm saying is: Something which you are comfortable with, more than anything else!. Now, what we mean here is, something that defines your job, something you are happy about!. What happens in job is: Whatever job you take tomorrow, one day you'll be sick.. on that day, you have to go to office! The job should be so interesting, that however sick you are, you again go to office!. You ask me to wait... The next morning 4'0 clock I'm ready for shooting. Because the job excites me so much!. So, I want you to choose a job, which excites you so much, that on the day, you have a big problem, blood pressure etc, but still you want to go and do your job!. That is the kind of job you take up, which you really love, really love!, and you'll be successful!. Whatever the job is!. I've seen people who've become millionaires by just collecting garbage! You can become a millionaire by doing anything!, as long as you love your job!, and you''ll be a pauper if you're doing it because somebody is forcing you to do it!. Money is there in every field, fame is there in every field, give it your best shot!, with your heart!!
 
Go by it!.
 

If you are travelling Middle East make it a point to visit Sur beach at night .Its 2 hrs from Muscat.
 
My sister had arranged for a few of us to to visit it on a "special experience promised"tagline.
 
When my wife Archana and kids Arjun and Niharika reached the lonely beach around 9pm ,a group of eager tourists from all over the world had already assembled there ,below a huge 'Silent Zone' board.After initial formalities the Arab guide took us near the seashore, ".shhh",shhing all along.With absolutely no lights ,except a small torch in the guide's hand ,the night looked darker than normal.Stumbling our way through we finally got to see the wonder ahead.
 
In the pitch darkness huge shadowy creatures slowly crept onto the sandy beach from the sea.The sea turtles!They were returning to the same beach after forty odd years.! This time they were visiting to lay their eggs in the same place they were born!.Strange are ways of nature you think and stranger things happen.
 
The pregnant turtle slowly walks a furlong on beach to find a suitable spot.
With it's front flappers it digs a shallow one feet radius circular trench and slumps inside.
 
With the back flapper it digs a narrow well one foot deep at the back end.
Then it drops eggs one after another into the well.
In the beam of torchlight you can see table tennis ball sized slimy eggs falling in tens inside the well.
 
Having laid the eggs the tired mother covers the well,crawls ten meters ahead and creates a fake well -To deceive the crabs and foxes who are eagerly looking for turtle eggs to eat.
 
With it's duty done the mother turtle goes back into sea.
That's just one part of the story.
 
The guide then searches around for new borns from hatched eggs of previous set.After a few unsuccessful trials we got to see them- small helpless newborns ,about our index finger long, out in the world with no idea of where to head.They look here and there trying to find their way to ocean.
Their first day in this world.
No dad in sight.No mom in sight.
Foxes and crabs ready to devour them.
Thankfully the planktons near the water emit a little light ,which seems to be nature's way of showing them the sea and they rush.
Some infants miss the idea and walk opposite side of sea only to get trampled by tourists or run over by jeeps or eaten by predators.
But the successful few,who escape the hungry enemies, reach the sea and jump in enthusiastically.
 
We are told they will slowly but surely grow in to huge turtles find their mates and come back to same beach to lay eggs after decades of underwater trips around the globe sometimes reaching Australia and back.

Now just thankGod for our lives.Thank god you and I were not born similar to those young ones.When we were born there was someone to feed us,someone to clothe us,someone to listen and respond to every cry of ours.Later someone joined us in school.Someone taught us math and science and languages.We surely had lot of help growing up .Unlike the ' first day -no dad no mom' scenario of sea turtle kids, we have had so much support.
Aren't we privileged to get so much help?Isn't it right to feel grateful and whisper a thanks to all those who mattered.We are we today because of them!

Truly, Ramesh aravind...

13-May-2011

Best thing about staying in Sun n Sand in Mumbai is the beautiful beach it opens to.You can see typical mumbaites walking early morning.I saw 4 old men forming a rectangle ,playing frisbee and not drop it even once in the whole walk.Sweating ladies being dragged by huge dogs was a common sight.One old man was walking reverse to check his neural coordination perhaps.But the most curious sight was a row of boards, each planted a few feet away from other using bamboo twigs as support in sand,each carrying an arresting thought scribbled on it."New day deserves new thinking" screamed the first one followed by equally good thoughts one after another.I was wondering the purpose behind such an effort on a beach.
Next morn ,on my walk,I caught this simple man,dressed in a dhoti,pushing the boards into sand,looking left right to check their row alignment ,move his bicycle ten feet away and start with the next one."Take care of your parents.it's your sacred duty"was written on it.I thought It made more more sense talking to this man than walk .To hell with the calories.
"Where are you from.?"I asked.
"Wherever you are from".He replied.
"I mean do you have an ashram?"
"Yes.This glorious one."he said pointing to himself.
I smiled and asked" Is anyone else with you?"
"Yes.You and he and he and she and that dog ".He pointed to everyone walking there.
"The whole world is with me."He chuckled.
Drawn further by the above cinema dialogue kind of conversation,I continued talking to him.
"What are you trying to do?Do you think a few boards on beach will change mindsets.?"
"When they walk they can't help reading it and a few of them may start thinking on these lines.It's a signal they will pickup and it will avalanche into action sometime later."
"What is your message actually "I asked.
"I have 3 simple truths to share."
My curiosity got better of me and I was all ears.
"One-take care of your body and soul.That's why I chose beach where walkers who have already realised the importance of healthy body will hopefully extend it to healthy mind too."
"Fine,the second ?"
"No one in the entire world thinks like you.Your thinking is unique .This being the case with the opposite person too,why do you expect anyone to agree with you ?Just allow them their choice and you will be the happiest.This applies to husband wife,boss employee,friends and all relationships."
I agreed enthusiastically ." And the third.?"
"There are some useless lazy fellows who refuse to work and ask for your alms and help.Forget them.But there are a few unlucky ones ,who inspite of their good intentions,honest efforts fail and do not get their due.Help such people who deserve our help."He smiled.
I found all three observations valid.
I bid him goodbye and continued walking with a new vigour.
I turned back and saw him planting the next board with rapt attention,
It said"Love is the only religion"